National Republican., 1887-12-22
Iuo,us out-stius Curtius Lamar,

'sac nrst condition for a Justice Of the
Supreme Court is that the person appointed
shall be learned in the law. l, has been the
rule to select for this eminent position
lawyers who have attained Exceptional
distinction in the profession" and whose
training In its different walks ft them TO
adorn the bench.
Mr.. Lamar is man OF literary culture
and scholastic requirements, whose whole
career has been divided 5etween politics
and professorships in Mississippi college
OF merely local standing. He served two
terms as member Of the House OF Repre-
senta,ives before the civil war aud two
terms after II. Subsequently he served
full term and part Of second In the Seu-
ate, when he was called to the Cabinet.
In these sixteen years Of public life there
lie not single measure Of national import
ance with which his name is in any way as
sociated. From first to last he was sec.
tional man, wholly devoted to southern
ideas and visionary theories He was early
adopted for this reason as the special favor
lite Of Jefferson Davis, from whom he i'm
bibed the wild doctrine that led to seces-
sioD.
he resigned his seat in Congress to incite
Mississippi to rebellion and served In mill
tary and civil capacities to aid the lost
cause at home and abroad. Since the re-
babiltation of the south Mr.. Lamar has
lived dreamer's life of easy Incidence on
the pay OF member Of Congress, earned
by a speech or two In the year, embellished
with tropical rhetoric.
As lawyer either in the technical or In
the liberal sense, Mr.. Lamar never had any
position at the bar, to which he was ad.
mitted forty years ago. lie never tried a
case that was reported, and In truth lie
never followed the profession as pursuit
at all. Like thousands OF others he used It
as an ornament. A distinguished lawyer
who Knows him well, and whose authority
as Democrat will not be disputed, says he
could notpass an examination at the Colum-
bia law school.
Mr.. Lamar is now In his sixty-third year,
according to the revised biography. In the
sixth edition, 1899, Of Lanman's Dictionary
OF Congress, the report OF his name Ia as
folloYs: "lle is native of Georgia, having
been born in 1920"
But, putting this point aside, the jlli-
ciRry committee OF the Senate has recently
held that no judges ought to be appointed
over GO years Of age. That objection was
urged against Judge Merrick, OF our D,s.
triCt court, when be was nominated IN
1855. The committee went so far as to
aGk Mr., Cleveland to withdraw his name,
and Mr. Pugh, with Mr. George, Joined tue
Republican members In this request
Age was the point Of the protest. How
will these Democratic senators vote now,
when the same obstruction exists In Mr..
Lamar's case, independent Of the fact that
he does not, as they well know as lawyers,
possess the most ordinary qualifications for
that great trust
This appointment Is the outcome of Il
partisan scheme, engineered by Mr.. Scott,
of Pennsylvania, the closest adviser Of the
President, to infuse new blood into the
Cabinet, ss an element Of activity for the
second term. In order to bring in Don NJ.
Dickinson IL was necessary to get Lamar
out, and the latter jumped at the chance Of
a silk gown and ten thousand ear for the
rest Of his days.
The business OF the Supreme Court ls
three years and more behindhand 1t is
constantly augmentlng with limited pros
pCct Of relief from Congress. Four Of the
present eight justices are old men. unequal
10 the strain Of former times, Robust help
is needed, with capacity for work. Every
body knows Mr.. Lamar is indolent, incapa-
bic Of continuous application to serious